Tragic news.
News broke on Tuesday that Stephen Hillenburg, the creator of Spongebob Squarepants, passed away at the age of 57.
The cause of death was Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), which Hillenburg revealed he had been diagnosed with in March of 2018.
Nickelodeon posted the news on their official Twitter account on Tuesday afternoon.
💛 We are sad to share the news of the passing of Stephen Hillenburg, the creator of SpongeBob SquarePants. Today, we are observing a moment of silence to honor his life and work. 💛
— Nickelodeon (@Nickelodeon) November 27, 2018
According to Variety, Nickelodeon said in a statement : “He was a beloved friend and long-time creative partner to everyone at Nickelodeon, and our hearts go out to his entire family.
“Steve imbued ‘SpongeBob SquarePants’ with a unique sense of humor and innocence that has brought joy to generations of kids and families everywhere.
“His utterly original characters and the world of Bikini Bottom will long stand as a reminder of the value of optimism, friendship and the limitless power of imagination.”
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